The Jewish Agency, which helps to organise the immigration of Jews to Israel, denies accusations that the government applies the law of return arbitrarily.

"Ethiopian immigration to Israel is the only example of a Western democracy investing money to bring people from Africa to serve as full-fledged citizens of that country, and not for other purposes," Avi Mayer, Jewish Agency spokesman, told Al Jazeera.

"So I think it does speak to Israel's reason for existing, Israel's ideology of serving as a homeland for all Jews around the world."

About 135,500 Jewish Israelis of Ethiopian descent live in Israel; more than 50,000 of whom were born inside the country.